VIII. REPORT OF REV. J. W. HOOD.

        This is an interesting and valuable document. It is presented in full, because therein is afforded a more satisfactory view of the Educational work among the colored population of this State than can be elsewhere found:

RALEIGH, April 22d, 1869.

TO THE HON. S. S. ASHLEY,
Superintendent of Public Instruction, and
Secretary of the Board of Education:

        The following report is most respectfully submitted:

        In accordance with instructions received from his Excellency W. W. Holden, Governor and President of the Board of Education, I have endeavored to obtain such information as would enable me to report the number and condition of schools in this State, for the instruction of colored youth.

        This report has been delayed in consequence of my failing to obtain passes over the different Rail Roads.

        Six weeks had elapsed, after I received my commission, before I obtained a pass over a single road, and up to this time I have not received a pass over several of the most important lines. I need not remind the members of the Board that it was understood that I would be provided with passes over the different Rail Road lines, and that I should not incur expense when it could be avoided. I did hope to be able to visit every school in the State, but as a small portion of them are located at points remote from any rail or stage lines, and it being impossible in some cases, and impracticable in others, to obtain private conveyance, I have not been able (so far) to visit them.

        For convenience sake, and that a proper estimate may be placed upon the efforts of all parties concerned in the Educational movement, I have divided the schools into five classes.

        I. Those which have been established by, or are under the supervision of, the AMERICAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION, and the AMERICAN UNION FREEDMEN'S COMMISSION.

        These come first in order because of seniority, and of the magnitude of the work they have accomplished, and are still accomplishing. The latter applies most especially to the American Missionary Association. The work of this society has not been confined to supplying Teachers merely, but they have in some places erected school buildings, and in other places have aided the Freedmen in building. To encourage the Freedmen to build they have expended two dollars to their (the Freedmen) one. Besides establishing day, night, and Sabbath Schools, they have at Wilmington a very interesting Industrial School; also an Orphan Asylum.

        The American Missionary Association and the Union Commission differ somewhat in mode of operations; but as they have from the beginning, and still do in many instances, operate together, I have placed them in the same class.

        These societies began the work together, but differ on the subject of selecting Teachers. The American Missionary Association insists that the teachers shall be members of some Evangelical religious denomination. The Union Commission, deemed this immaterial. There are still schools not withstanding, the teachers of which are employed by both of these societies.

        These societies commenced operations soon after the Union army had established itself in this State.

        (1.] I shall commence with the JOHNSON SCHOOL in Raleigh. This is the largest, and one of the best schools in the city. The building was erected by the Bureau on the African Methodist Episcopal lot. It is capable of accommodating over three hundred pupils. The school has four departments, Primary,

Intermediate, Advanced and Normal, with two hundred and ninety-two pupils and taught by five teachers.

        (2.) THE WASHINGTON SCHOOL in Raleigh is entirely under the supervision of the American Missionary Association.

        The buildings erected by the society for this school have been leased "temporarily" for the accommodation of the colored division of the Deaf and Dumb and Blind Institution, but the Bureau has erected another building into which the school has been removed. The order of this school reflects great credit upon the teacher. It is in every respect a good school. It numbers seventy-five pupils; the building now occupied will accommodate nearly two hundred pupils.

        (3.) THE SMITHFIELD SCHOOL is also entirely under the same supervision. By the untiring efforts of Miss Hayes, the present Preceptress, a half acre of land has been secured on which the Bureau has erected a fine building, this school has therefore a permanent location. The highest number for this term was one hundred and twenty, day and night scholars.

        (4.) THE HOWARD SCHOOL, FAYETTEVILLE, may also be set down to the credit of this society. Inspector General Avery pronounced it the best school in the State. Messrs. Fish and Langston confirmed this opinion. The site was purchased by the Freedmen about eighteen months since. It cost about $140.00. The Bureau has erected thereon a building at a cost of $3,800.00 and furnished at a cost of $400.00. The people themselves have made improvements at an expeuse of $200.00. The building will accommodate more than three hundred pupils. Two hundred is the highest number for this session. At one time it numbered over three hundred.

        (5.) THF SCHOOL AT WHITESVILLE numbers forty-five pupils.

        (6.) THE SCHOOLS IN WILMINGTON were established by the A. M. Association immediately upon the occupation of the place by the Union army and have been continued ever since. There are, in the different schools in Wilmington and vicinity, over seven hundred and fifty pupils. The Williston school is the largest in the State, having in its various departments,

(including the regular session, the afternoon and night sessions) over four hundred and fifty pupils. It has five departments, viz: Primary, Intermediate, Advanced, Normal and Industrial. The latter numbers over thirty pupils.

        The school building is large, commodious and well ventilated. The society has also a comfortable teacher's home with a chapel attached.

        (7.) The school known as the Colored Educational Institute of Wilmington, is supplied with teachers by the same society. The site was given to the colored people by the City authorities, and the building was erected and furnished by the Bureau. The building is one of the best in the State and will accommodate about two hundred pupils. The furniture of this house is miserably poor and inconvenient. This school numbers one hundred and fifty, and is in good condition.

        (8.) THE ORPHAN ASYLUM is situated on Middle Sound, and has at present twenty-seven inmates. It has had a much larger number, but when the children become old enough, and and good homes can be procured for them, they are sent away. Thus with a small outlay of money a large number of homeless children have been cared for. Mr. S. H. Beals has the Superintendence of all these schools. He seems to be deeply interested in the work.

        (9.) All the Schools in Carteret County, are under the A. M. Association. The most important of these is the school at Beaufort. This school, (including the regular session, the afternoon and the night school,) numbers four hundred and twenty-five pupils. There are five teachers, a superintendent and matron. The school is well graded and classed. Besides teaching the regular session, each teacher has a class of adults in the afternoon and at night.

        The building is large and commodious, including a teacher's home. The site is owned by the colored people, and the building was erected by them, assisted by the Association. The property is held by a board of colored trustees. I consider Beaufort one of our most highly favored towns. Having a

permanent school building, not controlled in the interest of any particular denomination.

        10. The School at Morehead City is tolerably good, also the one at Hull Swamp. The teachers are earnest, good men, but have not had that training which is necessary to fully qualify one to teach.

        11. The colored people have a good school house at North River, and also one on Clumfoot Creek, which the Association assisted them in building. There are no schools in either of these houses at present, because of the want of means to support a teacher.

        12. There are three schools at New River, and one in the Trent settlement under the Union Commission. The one in the Trent settlement has three departments, Primary, Intermediate and Advanced. There are three hundred pupils, and three teachers. The building belongs to the Bureau, but the ground is private property.

        13. Those in Newbern are graded, each forming a department. The Metcalf street school is the Primary department. It numbers one hundred and two. The building only belongs to the Bureau. The Intermediate department occupies a building erected by the Bureau on a lot belonging to the Bethel Methodist Church. This is a very good building, but having been built for a Church, it is not suitable for a large school. Having no recitation rooms, the children must recite in an under tone.

        The Advanced department occupies the Congregational Church, which is rented by the Bureau. This school numbers one hundred and ten pupils. Miss Chloe Merrick is the preceptress. The order in this school is perfect, and yet Miss Merrick informs me that she has never used the rod in her school. If her scholars misbehave, and severe punishment seems necessary, she sends them to their parents, and will not take them back until their parents correct them, accompany them to the school and she is assured that they will obey.

        This school has the largest number of Advanced pupils of any in the State. Several boys are studying Latin.

        14. The school at ELIZABETH CITY, supported by the Union Commission, concludes the list in the first class.

        I am happy to be able to report that the schools under these societies are all good. Many of the teachers are graduates of our best Northern institutions. Men and women who are willing to make any sacrifice for the purpose of elevating a long oppressed and degraded people.

        In nearly all the schools they have established temperance societies. The amount of good thus effected can scarcely be imagined. The members pledge themselves to abstain from all intoxicating drinks, tobacco in every form, and all vulgar or profane language. Very many children who had indulged in the use of tobacco and snuff, have given them up entirely. In some of these schools I did not find half a dozen that used either.

II. THE FRIENDS' SCHOOL.

        While these are placed second in order in this report, they are second to none in character. In educating the Freedmen, the Friends are doing a work of praiseworthy benevolence. Without expectation of fee or reward; without attempting to teach the peculiar tenets of their faith; without any apparent desire to advance the interest of their own denomination, they are laboring to dispel the mist of ignorance which has so long hung over the colored people of the South. The Bible is introduced into all of their schools, but is read without comment.

        The teachers are selected without regard to sex, sect, section, nativity or complexion.

        They are particular, however, respecting the moral character of the teachers. They require of the teachers as much care for the moral as for the intellectual improvement of their pupils. The temperance societies before mentioned are introduced into all of these schools, and a very large proportion of the pupils

have become members. If these organizations can be continued in our schools, they will be the means of saving enough to pay for the public school system.

        They have now in this State (25) twenty-five schools. (The number, both of the teachers and schools of this society, has been increased since the above was written, to (37) thirty-seven teachers, and (2,475) two thousand four hundred and seventy-five pupils.)

• Number of males 1,243; average attendance 122.
• Number of females 1,239; number always present 858.
• Number in alphabet, 75.
• Number of those who are writing, 1,217.
• Number in arithmetic, 794.
• Number in geography, 564.
• Number in grammar, 116.

        (1.) SCHOOL AT GOLDSBORO: This school numbers two hundred and eighty pupils.

        Miss Blanche Harris, the preceptress, is a graduate of Oberlin. She has been teaching in the South for five or six years and is considered one of our best teachers. The school is graded, having Primary, Intermediate and Advanced Departments.

        The buildings, three in number, are owned by the Friends.

        (2.) The school at MEBANESVILLE, occupies the Presbyterian Church. This school is doing remarkably well; the splendid discipline, and rapid progress of the pupils evince untiring efforts on the part of the teachers.

        (3.) The school at HILLSBORO' has been poorly managed, but it is hoped the recent change of teachers will be the means of improving its condition.

        (4.) The school at GREENSBORO is in good condition.

        (5.) The school at SALISBURY is one of the best that the Friends have in this State.

        (6.) The school at CHARLOTTE is one of the largest.

        (7.) The school at LINCOLNTON is also large. They have 13 schools in the Counties of Rowan Davie and Iredell. Three in

Davidson and three in Guilford. I would recommend that the Board encourage this Society to continue its operations. They have decided to continue another year.

III. THE EPISCOPALIAN PARISH SCHOOLS.

        There are seven of these besides the High School in Raleigh. There are two in Newbern, one in Raleigh, one in Wilmington and one in Fayetteville. With one exception they are good schools of the kind. If members of particular denominations choose to support denominational schools, and to have their children's time largely occupied in studying the doctrines and forms of the Church, it is their own matter.

        The discipline in these schools is commendable, generally. "The Mission school at Fayetteville is an exception, order is not one of the ingredients of which this school is composed." The teachers are also generally most excellent ladies whose hearts are evidently in the work.

        The Bureau appropriated ($5,000) five thousand dollars for the erection of a building at Raleigh for a Normal School. This building has been erected and is now occupied. It is a very fine building, furnished in the best style. There are no normal classes in the other schools; such of their pupils as are sufficiently advanced are sent to this school.

IV. THE PRESBYTERIAN PAROCHIAL SCHOOLS.

        The Presbyterian Church is making great efforts to establish a system of Parochial Schools, and I believe is meeting with satisfactory success. To this end, they have taken the initiatory steps to establish a College at Charlotte, in which they propose to have a Normal School Department. By securing the best material that can be obtained, it is hoped that this department will furnish teachers for the Parochial Schools. If this plan succeeds, the schools thus provided will, in time, prepare material for the Normal School. The College will send out

Preachers and Teachers for schools of a higher grade. The Government through the Bureau has appropriated ($10,000) ten thousand dollars for the erection of buildings for this institution. One fine building has been erected, and others are under contract. I learn that it is proposed to give tuition free to any whom it is desirable to train for teachers in the common schools; provided, the Board of Education will make an appropriation for their board and room rent. The class of studeuts now at this institution is not generally the most promising, but I suppose were the best that could be had at this time. They have now some very good schools which will give them better material. Their largest and best school is at Charlotte.

        They have five other schools in Mecklenburg County. Three in Cabarrus, three in Rowan, one in Iredell, one in Davie, one in Davidson, one in Guilford and one in the City of Wilmington.

V. PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

        These are scattered over all parts of the State, except beyond the Blue Ridge, where I have not yet found a single day school. There are Sabbath Schools at several points, and the people seem anxious to have day schools, but complain that they can neither obtain books or teachers. These schools are of various grades and character. Some of them are very good; others are but little better than none. Some of them receive assistance from the Bureau; others do not; some receive more than their merit warrants; others not so much.

        Mr. Tupper's school in Raleigh is one of the largest and best of this class of schools. It numbers, including day and night scholars, two hundred and fifty pupils. It is called the Stevens school. Mr. Tupper has a large building, and hopes to establish a high school, and perhaps a college.

        The Miles School in Raleigh, which is kept in Rev. Mr. Warwick's Church, and which has formerly been a private school,

is now under the Union Commission; also the Clinton school at Concord, the school at Oxford, the one at Bethel Hill and the one at Louisburg. The school at Murfreesboro' is an excellent one. There are two good schools in Edenton, one in Hertford, one in Washington, one in Greenville, one in Tarboro' and one in Kinston. There are only a few Counties this side of the Blue Ridge which have no schools. A very large number of these schools is taught in buildings which are but a small improvement on being out of doors. To name the places where the freedmen have put up these rude shanties, would be to speak of the largest portion of the private schools. The freedmen seem anxious to have schools for their children, and are putting up such buildings as they feel able to erect. Where they can do no better they pile up rough logs and cover them with rived boards. It is astonishing to see how contented the children are in these uncomfortable houses. Poor as these buildings are, they are often subjected to the enmity of the whites and are burned down.

SUMMARY.

        The whole number of Schools, Teachers and Pupils:

        

	SCHOOLS.	TEACHERS	PUPILS.
Under A. M. A. and Fr'dman's Union,	19	68	2,840
Under Friends' Society,	29	40	2,425
Under Episcopalian Commission,	6	11	600
In Presbyterian Schools,	16	21	1,100
In Private Schools,	82	84	4,861
Total,	152	224	11,826

        These figures give the highest number in school during the present term. The highest number was reached in January. The number in school at this time does not exceed (10,000) ten thousand.

Most respectfully submitted,

J. W. HOOD, Agent.

SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT.

REV. S. S. ASHLEY,
Superintendent of Public Instruction:

        The following supplement to my report of April last is most respectfully submitted:

        I have nothing to add for the period embraced in that report. The schools supported by the societies were all closed about the first of July. A few of their teachers, however, who did not desire to go North, continued their schools, being supported by private subscription and a small amount from the Bureau. Those denominated private schools were continued, and the number of them more than doubled.

        The number in all, for the month of September, reached the unparalleled number of 257 schools and 15,647 pupils. This large increase of private and Bureau schools is the fruit of the normal classes so generally established in the schools in the larger Towns during last winter. The best native teachers that we have are generally from this source. As many as 15 have been sent out from one school. And if sufficient encouragement can be given to normal schools during the coming winter, there will be a very much larger increase of this class of teachers. I feel incapable of urging, in sufficiently strong terms the importance of having under the Board of Education one or more normal schools. It would be advisable, if possible, to open at once the colored department of the University as a normal school. As a site has not yet been obtained for this purpose, and as there appears to be an objection amounting to a prohibition of the use of the unoccupied buildings at Chapel Hill by colored pupils, perhaps the best that can be done for the present is to establish normal schools at several different places in the State, selecting those places that have the largest number of good material.

        The increase of schools for September over August was 39; of pupils 3,494. The Bureau is expending over $1,700

monthly for the support of schools, beside large amounts for building and repairs.

        The teachers employed by the societies are beginning to return. If the school authorities should agree to employ such for four months, the number will be increased, the societies will be able to occupy a wider field, and the State will secure the advantage of a larger number of good teachers than it could otherwise do. The wages that the State will be able to pay will be so small, and the term so short. that teachers for this alone would not be warranted in coming a very great distance, and we shall not obtain a sufficient supply at home. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the societies be encouraged to send all the teachers they can.

        Since the fourth of July I have been engaged in holding educational meetings, which have been generally well attended. I am now satisfied that we shall only be able to get our school system established by going among the people and personally superintending the work. This will be laborious and expensive, but it is the only way that anything can be accomplished.

Most respectfully,
Your obedient servant,

J. W. HOOD, Agent.